Naturalist, AUTHOR and Wildlife Photographer

David Hollands

Doctor, Naturalist, Writer and Wildlife Photographer, David Hollands was born and educated in England.

A love of birds and wildlife photography was already deeply embedded when he and his wife, Margaret, came to Australia in 1961. Their intended short stay was soon converted into something much more permanent when, in 1963, they bought a busy medical practice in Orbost, far-eastern Victoria, which they then ran for nearly 40 years.

Medicine and family left little time for birds but, in 1984, David completed his first book Eagles Hawks and Falcons of Australia. In 2003, when this had been out of print for some time, he brought out a revised edition under the same title.

Since Eagles Hawks and Falcons, David has written and published a number of other books; Birds of the Night 1991, which was later brought out in a greatly expanded version under the title of Owls Frogmouths and Nightjars of Australia 2008, Kingfishers and Kookaburras 1999 and Owls – Journeys Around the World 2004. Most recently, 2012, in conjunction with old friend Clive Minton, he completed Waders – The Shorebirds of Australia.

For some years, David has also been gathering material or his next book Cranes Herons and Storks of Australia. This was intended to be his last book but such is the passion and enthusiasm that the completion of Cranes may herald the start of a new project.

The unique feature of David’s books is that he is a naturalist first and a photographer second. The photographs are a vital part of every book but it is the writing that sets them apart, clear, thoughtful and detailed, with equal emphasis on the birds and what they are doing, on their surroundings and the life around them and on the expeditions to find them.